Siva Afi passes away at 77
Siva Afi (Papaliitele Max Amata Taogaga) has passed away.
The book Pro Wrestling’s social media account wrote on Thursday that Afi’s family has confirmed the 77-year-old’s passing.
“We are saddened to learn that Siva Afi has passed away, as confirmed by his family. From his memorable WWF run to his work as Burt Reynolds’ bodyguard and stuntman, Siva lived a remarkable life. More importantly, he earned the respect of those who shared a locker room with him—so many of the wrestlers we’ve spoken with over the years remembered him as a genuinely kind and well-liked man. Rest in peace, Siva Afi. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. ❤️”
Afi was trained by Peter Maivia and Steve Rickard and wrestled from the 1970s through the 1990s, including headlining 1985’s A Hot Summer Night at Aloha Stadium, where he challenged Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Our own Dave Meltzer writes that the show still holds the attendance record for a wrestling event in Hawaii. Meltzer wrote:
“Sorry to hear about the death of Siva Afi, another protege of Peter Maivia. Afi’s most famous match was a 60 minute draw with NWA champ Ric Flair at Aloha Stadium before what is still the largest crowd for pro wrestling in Hawaii.”
Several people from around the wrestling world have reacted to Afi’s passing on social media:
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.